2008/2009 program

The Springboard Project commenced in April 2008 and involved 97 designers from across Australia in a mentorship program to develop their professional careers in local and international markets.

Stage One of the program ran from early April to the end of June, with participants developing their individual design practice with the guidance of six leading business professionals drawn from areas essential to business survival in the design sector. Stage Two followed in August 2008 and continued until the end of March 2009, and saw 16 designers selected from Stage One given one-on-one mentorship through the process of developing their business plans, their practice, business identity, and in some cases taking a product to market.

The program covered sustainable best practice, financial management, contractual law, intellectual property (IP), media relations, and retail and export strategy. Mentors included eco-design specialist John Gertsakis of WSP Environmental, IP lawyer Peter English of Surry Partners Lawyers, market strategist Mats Ekstrom, and former brand consultant for Apple Computer Europe Bradford Gorman. While guest mentors Liane Rossler, cofounder Dinosaur Designs, David Clark, Editor Vogue Living Australia, Hugo Davidson, cofounder Knog, and John Parker, Managing Director Format Furniture, shared real insights on running a thriving design business from Australia.

Participants in Stage One and Two of the program include:

Springboard Designers — Brisbane Workshop

alison_schutt
Alison Schutt | View Profile
alyssa_milton
Alyssa Milton | View Profile
cara_wrigley_kirsti_tenni
Cara Wrigley & Kirsti Tenni |
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christina_watersonChristina Waterson | View Profile david_potts
David Potts | View Profile
diana_russo
Diana Russo | View Profile
erin_corvisy
Erin Corvisy | View Profile
eva_wanganeen_brook
Eva Wanganeen Brook |
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gregory_gilmour
Gregory Gilmour | View Profile
jaime_beattie
Jaime Beattie | View Profile
jenni_baxter
Jenni Baxter | View Profile
karen_cunningham
Karen Cunnigham | View Profile
karina_sharpe
Karina Jean Sharpe | View Profile
kent_gration
Kent Gration | View Profile
meghann_jones
Meghann Jones | View Profile
nancy_brown
Nancy Brown | View Profile
peter_harding
Peter Harding | View Profile
sharka_marvilla
Sharka Marvilla | View Profile
silke_savran
Silke Savran | View Profile
viveca_karlsson
Viveca Karlsson | View Profile
walter_rauchenwald
Walter Rauchenwald | View Profile

Springboard Designers — Melbourne Workshop

alexi_freeman

Alexi Freeman | View Profile

alister_yiap

Alister Kon Teng Yiap | View Profile

brad_nicholls

Brad Nicholls | View Profile

bridget_bodenham

Bridget Bodenham | View Profile

brigitte_de_villiers

Brigitte de Villiers | View Profile

carmen_blyth

Carmen Blyth | View Profile

christopher_plumridge

Christopher Plumridge |
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deanna_corso

Deanna Corso | View Profile

dhiren_bhagwandas

Dhiren Bhagwandas

elliat_rich

Elliat Rich | View Profile

gretha_oost

Gretha Oost | View Profile

iris_saar_issacs_jane_barwick

Iris Saar Isaacs & Jane Barwick | View Profile

jacquelyn_crute

Jacquelyn Crute | View Profile

jessie_fairweather

Jessie Fairweather | View Profile

john_quan

John Quan | View Profile

john_waters

John Waters | View Profile

julieanne_pieda

Julieanne Pieda | View Profile

kath_inglis

Kath Inglis | View Profile

katherine_brennan

Katherine Brennan | View Profile

katrina_tyler

Katrina Tyler | View Profile

lee_darroch

Lee Darroch | View Profile

lucy_king

Lucy King | View Profile

malcolm_thomas

Malcolm Thomas | View Profile

martin_davis

Martin Davis | View Profile

matthew_harding

Matthew Harding | View Profile

matthew_herbert

Matthew Herbert | View Profile

nathan_day

Nathan Day | View Profile

nina_oikawa

Nina Oikawa | View Profile

paul_justin

Paul Justin | View Profile

quyen_do

Quyen Do | View Profile

rob_young

Rob Young | View Profile

roland_smith

Roland Smith | View Profile

tim_fleming

Tim Fleming | View Profile

tor_white

Tor White | View Profile

Springboard Designers — Sydney Workshop

alex_noble

Alex Noble | View Profile

amy_cunningham

Amy Cunningham | View Profile

andrew_fedrigo

Andrew Fedrigo | View Profile

andrew_simpson

Andrew Simpson | View Profile

anna_trevillian

Anna Trevillian | View Profile

benjamin_gallagher

Benjamin Gallagher | View Profile

chris_byrne

Chris Byrne | View Profile

craig_bunting

Craig Bunting | View Profile

emma_elizabeth_coffey

Emma Elizabeth Coffey |
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gareth_brown

Gareth Brown | View Profile

henrietta_gothe_ellis

Henrietta Gothe-Ellis | View Profile

ilias_fotopoulous

Ilias Fotopoulos | View Profile

james_lord

James Lord | View Profile

jen_roberts_sandra_mason

Jennifer Roberts & Sandra Mason |
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john_skinner

John Skinner | View Profile

jonathan_baskett

Jonathan Baskett | View Profile

kara_smith

Kara Smith | View Profile

karie_soehardi

Karie Tamar Soehardi |
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katie_ledlin

Katie Ledlin | View Profile

ke_wu

Ke Wu | View Profile

keryn_hughes

Keryn hughes | View Profile

kristian_aus

Kristian Aus | View Profile

matthew_conway

Matthew Conway | View Profile

oliver_smith

Oliver Smith | View Profile

rohan_nicol

Rohan Nichol | View Profile

simone_madigan

Simone Madigan | View Profile

trent_barrett

Trent Barrett | View Profile

About ADU
Part magazine, part bulletin, part business resource, ADU is a publication and archive about design and creativity published monthly to encourage and support designers. ADU is an independent and strongly collaborative voice within the design sector with a broad network that connects designers from across the country to the resources they need. ADU is also a vehicle for workshops, forums and exhibitions produced to encourage discourse and develop skills around design, creativity, entrepreneurship and ideas. ADU collaborates with design institutions and existing initiatives to enable designers to develop new markets at home and abroad. ADU is a joint venture between Parcel and Studio Propeller.
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Publishers/editorial direction
Heidi Dokulil & Ewan McEoin
Managing editor
Madeleine Hinchy
Editor-at-large
Peter Salhani
Creative direction
Graeme Smith
Design
Lee Wong
Photography/video
Sam James, Elliat Rich, Alexi Freeman
Chris Byrne, Tim Fleming, Paul Justin
Alison Schutt, Rohan Nicol